Our peer supporters offer a listening ear and unique insights into major trauma for people who have experienced life-changing injuries and their loved ones.
Talk to someone like you.
Major trauma can change your life in an instant.
If you’ve had a catastrophic injury or are caring for someone who has, this can impact every part of your life for a long time into the future.
Many people who go through a life-changing injury feel like no one understands what they’re dealing with. They might feel alone and unsure about sharing their worries or struggles with others.
Family and friends of someone with a major injury often feel the same. They need support too, but it can be hard to find people who really get what they’re going through.
That’s where our peer supporters can help.
Peer supporters are people who have been through a life-changing injury themselves or have cared for someone who has. They’ve been through the tough times and learned a lot along the way.
They understand what you’re going through because they’ve lived it. They can listen, share their experiences and help you feel less alone.
"Peer support helped me find my way through"
Henry's story
A car pulled out of a side road and hit me on my commute to work. The staff at the hospital were great, but nothing prepared me for the word 'amputation'. Day One were there for me. They arranged for a peer supporter, Bob, to speak to me. He'd also survived a crash and was now walking with a prosthetic. He understood how I felt and was there to answer all my questions. He was honest about the difficulties I would face.
I am so grateful for the help and advice I got during those early days. Having someone to talk to who understood exactly what I was going through was invaluable.
I am so lucky I had access to this support. Which is why, six years on, I'm now a peer support volunteer myself – so I can help more people like me.
How it works
Our volunteers are carefully chosen, thoroughly trained and provided with ongoing support to ensure they can effectively deliver peer support while safeguarding their own wellbeing. We work closely with them to ensure they are well prepared to support others.
When you reach out to us, we will match you with a peer support volunteer based on shared experiences or interests. We’ll start by considering type of injury and how you or your loved one was injured. We may take into account other factors you share, such as hobbies, interests, demographics or community connections.
Once matched, you and your peer supporter will have the opportunity to connect in up to six regularly scheduled telephone calls. These calls can be scheduled at times that work best for both of you.
We aim for the calls to follow a loose structure:
- Initial session: this will serve as an introduction to peer support. You’ll learn more about what peer support entails and what it does not cover. During these sessions, your volunteer will also share their personal story and explain why they chose to become a peer support volunteer.
- Subsequent calls: these are more flexible and will focus on topics you find important. You’ll have the chance to discuss your experiences with major trauma, your recovery journey and any challenges you’re facing. Your volunteer will listen empathetically and share their insights where relevant, fostering a connection built on understanding and shared experiences.
- The final call will be a reflective session. You’ll review what you’ve discussed and learned from each other throughout the process. You’ll also look ahead, exploring ways you can apply the insights from your conversations to support your recovery journey.
The purpose of these calls is to help you feel less isolated by connecting you with someone who truly understands what you’re going through. Please note that although our volunteers have valuable experience and knowledge, they are not trained to provide medical advice or tell you what you should or shouldn’t do during your recovery.
Read stories from people supported by Day One
All stories of recovery
Cat's Story
Georgia Scully suffered catastrophic injuries in a car crash, aged 22.
I just wanted to get back to normal - that was all I wanted.
I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did on their own.
I’d never felt vulnerable before the crash.
Just having someone there to listen to me made a big difference.
Find out more about volunteering for Day One.
